Easiest Computer to use, ever

I was Apple's most vociferous critic until my wife bought the ipad. It's not the ultimate computing device by any means, but it's damned competent.

In reply to 1988RedT2:

I wanted to hate my wife's iPad but after a short time I became very jealous. Now I hate my laptop.

the ipad can be activated at the apple store. and when you visit with a laptop, you can sync it for them for IOS updates.

1988RedT2 wrote: For the most part, I too endorse the ipad. However, I truly feel that the lack of a proper keyboard is going to be a huge impediment for someone not accustomed to poking their fingers at a little picture of a key as they attempt to type out an email.

Have you used one? The onscreen keyboard on the iPad really isn't that bad.

John Brown wrote: Can a USB bluetooth dongle be added to an iPad to add a bluetooth keyboard?

See my first post in this thread. I linked two different iPod cases that have built in keyboards.

Come on Reverend, you assume I actually read any posts other than my own!

Apple has a couple of good keyboard options for the iPad.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/ipad_accessories/keyboards?mco=MTc0MjY0ODY

ReverendDexter wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: For the most part, I too endorse the ipad. However, I truly feel that the lack of a proper keyboard is going to be a huge impediment for someone not accustomed to poking their fingers at a little picture of a key as they attempt to type out an email.

Have you used one? The onscreen keyboard on the iPad really isn't that bad.

Ummm. Yer kidding, right? That thing where you've got to switch from letters to numbers/symbols and back? Maybe I've been typing too long. At least it has a .com key.

And yes, I've used one.

1988RedT2 wrote:

ReverendDexter wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: For the most part, I too endorse the ipad. However, I truly feel that the lack of a proper keyboard is going to be a huge impediment for someone not accustomed to poking their fingers at a little picture of a key as they attempt to type out an email.

Have you used one? The onscreen keyboard on the iPad really isn't that bad.

Ummm. Yer kidding, right? That thing where you've got to switch from letters to numbers/symbols and back? Maybe I've been typing too long. At least it has a .com key. And yes, I've used one.

I would put it at "not bad" too. My problem is that the way I type puts my ring finger pointing more down, so more often than not, my nail does the work. Which means it doesn't on an iPad (you need something that conducts electricity- skin does, nails do not).

Still, I honestly think it would be "good enough" for my in laws. Barely.

I also wonder if there is an app where it at least has the top number line on a QWERTY keyboard. If it had that + the basic symbols, it would be perfect, even taking up more screen.

All in all, I wouldn't do much until they told me that it's a pain.

For what I'm doing right NOW, I really like having a keyboard. But I think I can deal with a virtual pad for enough of my surfing, and also think that my in laws would be fine more often than I would be.

reading though your list my first instinct was a tablet of some sort... Ipad makes since as it is simple... knew someone who had one with a keyboard and she liked it (although they did move to a netbook as the ipad didn't do a few things they wanted/needed)... but I was amazed at what you could do with an ipad with pages and such... they had a real keyboard because they didn't like the touch pad for typing...

sounds like about the perfect old persons machine... touch screen is very intuitive and the interface is simple... I would recommend finding an emulator online if you don't have one though... there will be times they do something funny (the 3 finger triple tap was an oddball I had to figure out for my friends ipad) and you have to figure out how to undo it... even something as simple as on an ipad.